Apparatus for suspending electric lights



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

G. P. NICHOLS & M. GO0MBS,J1-. APPARATUS FOR SUSPENDING ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

No. 360,040. Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

6 6 L; 25. 1mm;

ATTORNEY (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. P. NICHOLS & M. COOMBS,J1. APPARATUS FOR SUSPENDING ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

Patented Mar. 29, 1887.

M Wm

IIVVEIV OB' m:

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE P. NICHOLS AND MOSES COOMBS, JR.,.OF YOUNGSTOYVN, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR SUSPENDING ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. NO. 360,040, dated March 29, 1887.

Application filed Juiyfifi, 1886. Serial No. 209,139. (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE P. NIoHoLs and MosEs CooMBs, J r., citizens of the United States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatuses for Suspending Electric Lights; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of our invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

The defects common to the several apparatuses now employed in suspending electric lights, and which are greatly felt in the art of putting up and caring for the same, are in chief, first, failure of means in the mechanism by which the mast-arm is attached to the pole for its ready and convenient placement and removal while the pole is in its vertical position; second, a mast-arm that 'is weak in all except vertical directions, thus endangering all parts supported by it; third, want of device to extend and shorten the mast-arm at pleasure, so that the lamp, independent of the situation of the pole, may be given the most advantageous position; fourth, the limitation of distance which the lamp may be lowered, in case a pole of the preferred height is used, to apoint above the reach of a man standing upon the ground; fifth, in carboning the lamp, inconvenient positions and frequent changes of the same, involving the expenditure of much time and labor; and, sixth, want of suitable means of attaching to the pole extra conducting-wires, rendering necessary the use of extra poles.

It is the object of our invention to remedy each of these important defects by improvements constituting, in fact, a new apparatus for suspending electric lamps, although certain parts of existing devices, which are common property, are employed in new combina tions. This we accomplish by the mechanism hereinafter described, and illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation view of our apparatus for suspending electric lights as in use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the polehcad A. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 4 is a side vertical view of the lainppulley case and tie-rod binder B. Fig. 5 is a vertical edge view of the same. Fig. 6 is an end view of the combined tierod and brace binder C. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal view of the sam'e. Fig. 8 is a vertical and plan view of the lesser strut, D. Fig. 9 is a similar view of the greater strut, E, and Fig. 10 is a side vertical view of the insulator-clamp attachment J, shown in place at Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout.

\Ve will now describe the mechanism and uses of the several parts of our apparatus, and

then explain its operation in the work for a clip on one side and a similar device in the.

foot of the greater strut, E, on the other side, below which is a pulley-case, and having also upon its sides, right and left to the groove, horns provided with vertical apertures to receive and hold insulators.

The mastarm ispreferably one-and-a-quarter-inch gas-pipe of suitable length, held in place in the groove of the pole-head by means of clips upon each side. The clips are embracing-straps, half-circular in the center, to clasp the mast-arm, and secured by nuts and bolts, the bolts passing vertically through the uncurved parts, near the ends, into the ears of the pole-head provided to receive them. As stated, the clip upon the forward or lamp side of the pole-head is a part of the foot of the strut E, and the ear below caps the rear part of the pulley-case at the intersection of the arm and pole.

The struts are to form bridges for the tie rods a a, the larger one, E, being placed immediately over the forward ear of the polehead, and the lesser one, D, at a point about midway between E and the forward end of the mast-arm. In form the struts are two arms at an angle with each other of about sixty degrees, and meeting in a head, which is also the clip that attaches it to the mast-arm. At ornear the ends of the arms appear openings for the passage of the tierods, and immediately below a connecting-bar extends between the arms to strengthen them. At the forward end of the mast-arm is place a pulley-case, which is a casting of suitable form to incase, except on the lower edge and lugs extending upward and outward therefrom,

perforated with eyes, to supply a bind for the.

tie-rods by threads on the tie-rods and nuts, or burrs. The opposite end of the mast-arm is similarly equipped, except the part 0 has no pulley-case, in place of which it has a lug extending downward and outward, perforated to secure'the end of the brace rod F, in the manner of the tie-rods.

The struts and tie-rods are to re-enforce the strength of the mast-arm, and being two in number, placed as described, it is strengthened not only in the vertical but in the horizontal directions, and also in directions intermediate between the two. We do not limit ourselves to the use of two or any number of struts and tie-rods; but when extra strength is required, as in positions exposed to severe winds, we may use three arms in the struts and corresponding tie-rods-two being parallel upon the horizontal plane and one upon the upper vertical plane of the mast-arm.

The brace-rod F, from its attachment with 0, extends at an angle downward to the pole A, the eye at its lower end hooking with the hook I, which is attached to the side of the pole. The function of the brace-rod is to assist in securing the mast-arm rigidly in place, to supply a means for adjusting the mastarm to a horizontal plane, and also a means whereby the mast-arm is made extensible,

which, it will be seen, is accomplished by change upward or downward upon the pole of the position of the hook I, and the passing of the mast-arm through the loosened clips, which are again tightened.

From the insulator at the pole head the conducting-wire is brought downward to an insulator attached to the side of the pole such a distance below that when the lamp is lowcred on a part circle, of which the insulator is the center, it is brought within convenient reach of a man standing upon the ground at the indlass; thence it extends to the lamp, and is protected against strain by the cable j, which, from its attachment to the pole on a plane with the lower insulator, is prolonged to an attachment to the top of the lamp. The elevating and lowering of the lamp is effected by means of a cable passing from the windlass e upward along the pole, over the pulley at the intersection of the mast-arm and the pole, along and underneath the mast-arm, and

' over the pulley in B to an attachment to the lamp, so that the lamp may be elevated and lowered, as above indicated.

The insulator-clamp attachment J is a clip similar to those at the pole-head, upon the lower part. of which there is a boss to receive and hold an insulator, so that it'may be attached to the mast-arm at any place, holding the insulator in any position desired, whereby the use of an extra pole, as now required, may be dispensed with.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The apparatus for suspending electric lights, consisting, in combination, of the pole g, the pole-head A, sleeving the upper end of the pole and having across its upper surface a groove for the mast-arm, and upon the right and left horns to support insulators, and perforated therefor, and the ears forward and in rear, to form the lower halves of the clips by which the'mast-arm is secured in the groove, there being also under and extending beyond the forward ear, or the ear toward the lamp, a pulley-case, the mast-arm b, re-enforced in all directions by the struts D and E, which are each two or more arms diverging from a common head, that is also the upper half of a clip for attachment to the mast-arm, and in which arms, near the upper ends, appear eyes for the passage of the tie-rods a, which are secured at the ends of the mast-arm, the sleeve B, fitting over the forward or lamp end of the mast-arm, having a pulley-case underneath, and perforated lugs above to receive and hold the ends of the tie-rods, the sleeve 0, fitting over the rear end of the masterm, similar to B, ex cept in place of a pulley-case there appears a perforated lug to receive the end of the brace-rod, the brace'rod F, extending fromO diagonally to the pole, where it hooks by an eye at its end into the hook I, attached to the pole, the ratchet-Windlass e, placed upon the forward side of the pole near the ground, from which extends upward along the pole the cable i, passing over the pulley at the intersection of the pole and arm, along the arm, and over the pulley at B to an attachment with the lamp, which is reached by the conducting-wire passing from a higher insulator to an insulator upon the side of the pole, so that by turning the windlass the lamp may be lowered and elevated on a curved line, substantially as described in the foregoing specification, and for the purpose therein expressed.

2. In apparatus for suspending electric lights, the insulator-clamp attachment J, which is an ordinary clip having a boss upon one part to receive and hold an insulator, substantially as described in the foregoing specification, and for the purpose therein expressed.

3. In apparatus for suspending electric lights, in combination I with any pole, mastarm, and lamps, a ratchet-Windlass placed on the lamp side of the pole near the ground, acable passing from the Windlass upward along the pole, over a pulley at the intersection of the pole and mast-arm, and along the mast-arm horizontally to and over a pulley at the end of the mast-arm, and thence downward to its attachment to the lamp, the conducting-wire passing therefrom to an insulator on the side of the pole so far below the insulator at the pole-head that thelamp, being lowered by the windlassand cable upon apart circle, of which the lower insulator is the center, it is brought within convenient reach of a man standing upon the ground, the conducting-wire being kept from strain by a cable attached to the lamp-top, and prolonged to an attachment to the pole at the same vertical position of the insulators from which the conducting-wire proceeds to the lamp, substantially as described, and for the purpose expressed.

4. In apparatus for suspending electric lights, in combination with any pole, lamp, and mechanism for moving the lamp, a mastarm re-enforced by one or more struts consisting of arms converging from a common head,

which is a part of a clip to attach the same to the mast-arm, at or near the ends of which arms are eyes for the passage of tie-rods that are secured at the ends of the arm, the mastarm thus re-enforced in all directions of strain being rendered adjustable, extensible, and rigid by a brace-rod passing from a connection with the rear end of the mast'arm diagonally to the pole, where the eye at its end interlocks with a hook movably attached to the side of the pole, substantially as described, and for the purposes expressed.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affiX our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE r. NICHOLS. MOSES oooMBs, JR.

Witnesses:

CELIA A. WOODWORTH, O. O. XVOODWORTH. 

